Section 03 · Agility Arbitrage
The UK can flex. Germany cannot.
OECD Employment Protection Index: UK 1.3 vs DE 2.4. The gap is a strategic lever, not an accident.
UK vs DE · Across 8 dimensions
Rigidity radar
UK Germany
Practical rigidity by role pool
Some UK roles are harder to flex than the headline suggests
Airside opsUK 4.0 · DE 4.6
Cargo handlerUK 3.6 · DE 4.3
Station mgmtUK 2.8 · DE 4.1
Commercial analystUK 2.4 · DE 4.0
Alliance leadUK 3.2 · DE 4.2
HR / Finance adminUK 2.0 · DE 4.4
UK statutory min: 20–99 redundancies → 30-day consult. 100+ → 45 days. Max statutory redundancy payment from 6 Apr 2026: £22,530. Germany requires Works Council co-determination and structured social plans — months, not weeks.
Reorg speed
UK
4–8 weeks
vs
DE
6–18 months
Works council consultation drives DE timeline
Avg tenure
UK
3–5 yrs
vs
DE
10+ yrs
LH avg 13.9 yrs — institutional inertia
Cost-out per FTE
UK
1–3× salary
vs
DE
3–6× salary
DE social plans dominate